Materia Medica and Special Therapeutics of the New Remedies
by Edwin M. Hale • 1829–1899
An early American survey of newly introduced medicines, joining pathogenetic evidence with therapeutic experience.
About Edwin M. Hale
Edwin Moses Hale, MD (1829–1899) was an American homeopathic physician, teacher, and prolific writer on medicines newly entering practice. He collected provings, toxicology, physiological observations, and clinical reports from both homeopathic and wider medical literature.
His work helped make many 19th-century American and recently introduced substances available for systematic study.
About Materia Medica and Special Therapeutics of the New Remedies
The work first appeared in 1864 as New Remedies: Their Pathogenetic Effects and Therapeutical Application in Homoeopathic Practice. The corpus follows the substantially enlarged fifth edition, published in two volumes as Materia Medica and Special Therapeutics of the New Remedies: Volume II, Special Therapeutics (1880), and Volume I, Special Symptomatology (1882).
The monographs combine preparation and natural-history notes with physiological effects, proving symptoms, and reported therapeutic uses. The tone is exploratory: Hale distinguishes stronger observations from suggestions that still required confirmation.
The book is especially valuable for the history and early clinical development of remedies that were absent from Hahnemann's original materia medica.
Best for
- Studying remedies introduced in 19th-century American practice
- Connecting toxicology and physiology with early clinical use
- Tracing the development of smaller or newer remedies
- Comparing early claims with later materia medicas
Frequently asked questions
What does Hale mean by New Remedies?
He means medicines newly introduced or newly developed in homeopathic practice in his period, rather than the older remedies already established in Hahnemann's works.
What kind of evidence does the book include?
Hale combines provings, poisonings, physiological observations, preparation notes, and clinical reports, while often indicating where evidence remained preliminary.
Which edition is available here?
The corpus follows the fifth edition of Materia Medica and Special Therapeutics of the New Remedies: Volume II, Special Therapeutics (1880), and Volume I, Special Symptomatology (1882).
All remedies in this book
251 remedies — jump to a letter or scroll the list.